Manchester City academy chief Jim Cassell says his young players will get their chance to break into the club's star-studded senior squad.

Cassell told City's website: "The challenge for those players is to go across to Carrington and keep improving, but they have to realise that you don't win the race on the first lap.

"They have to learn the second phase of their careers now. They have done very well here and competed with the best - last year our Under-18s only lost to Arsenal all season, which is a terrific achievement.

"They have a great pedigree. Now they need to accept they are no longer the big fish and have to take on the next phase of their learning process. If they do that, they have a fantastic chance, because they all have ability.

"The test for them is to deal with the new environment at Carrington and get used to the fact that in training they will have to play with the likes of Robinho, Petrov and Ireland.

"What will help is that they will be meeting up with players from last year's successful youth team, like Vlad Weiss. The great test for them is to see whether they can join the Robinhos of this world."